<![CDATA[NY TECH ED - Blog]]>Fri, 01 May 2026 12:41:47 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Another Awesome Update to G-Suite]]>Fri, 10 Feb 2017 19:05:53 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/another-awesome-update-to-g-suite
​How to embed videos directly from your Google Drive! So easy, this is a great option for teachers who may have Youtube blocked for students. Now you can download and save videos to your Google Drive so your students can access them. Big shout out to +jlubinsky@gmail.com who woke me up to the duplicate slide technique.
]]><![CDATA[Simple Extensions, Big Impact]]>Thu, 19 Jan 2017 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/simple-extensions-big-impact
]]><![CDATA[Big News]]>Mon, 09 Jan 2017 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/big-news
]]><![CDATA[Google Classroom Gets Calendar!!]]>Wed, 23 Sep 2015 20:53:14 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/google-classroom-gets-calendarHot off the press! The arrival of calendar is a welcome early surprise
]]><![CDATA[Spec Ed, Add-Ons & Lemov "These are a few of my favorite things"]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2015 15:55:51 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/july-29th-2015I had an interesting experience on Friday while I was doing a professional development session. While I was relaying my personal experiences with assistive technology one of the teachers said “I am writing down that quote!” the phrase in question: 

“When the mechanics of writing limits a student’s creativity, technology can intercede on their behalf”. 

Technology has been interceding on my behalf my entire life. And yes, I realize I just quoted myself, sad but true.  So, besides being a little giddy that someone actually thought I was quote worthy, I was touched that I could relay a concept that is near and dear to me.  I began to relay my personal story of being a special education student who did not learn how to read until I was in the third grade.  I presented some of the modifications that I currently make in my daily life to adapt and to work efficiently.  In addition I was also able to share how Google Apps helped me make modifications for one of my children who also has an IEP.

The add-on that I show the teachers was speech recognition in Google Docs, in fact I'm using that add-on right now to do this blog post.  I shared with these teachers that there are many students that I've had in the past, that were so intimidated about the creative process,  because they found themechanics required by project were insurmountable. Really these students needed to do to express their ideas and opinions is start drafting using this speech recognition add-on, why not throw the EasyBib add-on for good measure? Here is a quick demo:
I've had a lot of experience using Google Apps for Education with a variety of children that had limitations placed on them by learning disabilities or physical challenges.  Myself being a “card carrying IEP” dyslexic has found that Google Apps for Education has truly freed me in many ways.

Also, I shared that using these tools freed me to express my thoughts and follow my whims of my hyperlinking mind, which is often not where the typical thought process goes. Many times I have been someone who thoughts come completely out of left field. As a child this was really hard for me.  I usually knew the answers or could arrive at them, I just didn't get them out fast enough. That is one of the reasons why I love instructional technology so much, it frees me to express my opinions, research topics that are meaningful to me, and publish for an audience.  I realize that my writing is not perfect, nor will it ever be,  but I refuse to allow fear to stop my creativity again.  My writing is imperfect, as such, it is a honest representation of myself.

Along with technology, one of the other resources that I found to be very freeing for the atypical student, is Doug Lemov’s (@Doug_Lemov) Teach Like a Champion.  If you have any opportunity to go to one of his workshops...go.  Seriously, tell your district that you will turn-key the training. Ask for a grant from one of your school foundations, but go.  It changed my thinking on teaching forever.  As a child who struggled to express answers, take risks or speak up in class, I can tell you that these skills would have leveled the playing field. Now I get the honor of training teachers in these techniques.  I have witnessed huge shifts in the classroom environment after training teachers in some of these techniques. Wait time and Cold Calling alone would have drastically changed my learning for the better.

I attended a two-day train the trainer workshop, and I was completely enthralled.  The teaching skills that were covered would transform anyone’s classroom into a dynamic, fun, and rigorous learning environment.  

I would suggest that any teacher would benefit from signing up for Lemov’s Teach Like a Championblog updates.
]]><![CDATA[Twitter, Gmail and IFTTT -Oh My!]]>Sat, 28 Feb 2015 12:41:15 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/twitter-gmail-and-ifttt-oh-myPicture
If you at the Hudson Valley Google Summit, you probably heard about John Calvert's standing room only session.  Actually there wasn't any standing room, I tried to get in.  Well thank you to John for breaking down his awesome session in the Hangout for us.  The whole idea behind this presentation is to enable a students to tweets (Think exit tickets.) to their teacher, who then moderates them. 
]]><![CDATA[Google Summit RECAP ]]>Mon, 10 Nov 2014 20:16:27 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/google-summit-recap
Enjoy the recap! We are hoping to schedule a hangout with +John Calvert to go over his infamous session that has been talked about since.
]]><![CDATA[Google Education Trainer Video]]>Fri, 07 Nov 2014 21:22:19 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/google-education-trainer-videoNot many people know that Jesse, Sabrina and myself went through the Google Education Trainer application proccess over the summer, we are now joining the ranks of Amber Klebanoff, Heidi Bernasconi, Paul Lepore and Anthony Celini as Google Education Trainers. 

As part of this process we need to take five tests, submit an application, submit a case study and a demo video.  Earlier today, I was putting together a schedule for the upcoming Superintendent's conference day and I thought of Jesse's awesome video on creating a table of contents.  I went to Youtube and watched it all over again.  Great video, concise and entertaining. I am jealous of his theme music.  

Here it is- enjoy!
]]><![CDATA[Google Classroom Review]]>Wed, 14 May 2014 16:36:31 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/google-classroom-reviewWe had the pleasure of having 3 members of the Google Classroom Pilot  Hangout with us today. Paul Lepore, Heidi Bernasconi and Toni Piscitelli are all members of Clarkstown Central School District and have been using Classroom since its Alpha testing.
Directly below is Google's promotional video featuring Heidi and Paul.  The following video is the archived Hangout. 
]]><![CDATA[Getting our Glass on at Google!]]>Sun, 27 Apr 2014 03:23:34 GMThttps://www.nyteched.org/blog/getting-our-glass-on-at-google
We had the fantastic opportunity to go to Google and hear about the Glass Explorer program. Westchester County was very well represented with a number of Google Certified Teachers/Trainers as well as Rockland County.  I don't know of another region with such a high concentration of G.C.Ts.

During the presentation we how heard from other Explorers how Glass has been used up to this point.  One downside for me is that this was a panel discussion, which does nothing for me.  I want to see how educators are using this. How is glass different from every other piece of technology that we might have access to?  Is it purely because that it is so hard to get that makes it desirable? If so, once it hits the market completely there is a few years before it become obsolete. ( Hello SMART, yes I am talking to you)

There was not much discussed that I found impressive. However, when I ventured into one of the alcoves, there was a video playing of a teacher visiting a scientific site simultaneously on a Hangout* with a class.  Now that, was transformational. 
This was much different than the simple virtual tour, where students are still purely consuming information but not interacting, questioning or influencing.  This was different than a Skyped interview because the students were going somewhere with the guide.  This was not scripted, with rehearsed questions to interview someone (which has great educational value). This was live, real, and spontaneous. Students were actually influencing the journey with questions and suggestions.
Suggestions to the Google Powers That Be (Looking up in the air) Use glass during your DeSTEMber events.  Plant Googlers in amazing locations that our students do not have access to, then hangout from there.  Let our classes use your Glass as a pair of eyes to experience the world, not just ask questions of an expert who is stationary and trying to do an experiment in front of a webcam.

Logistically synchronous communication is not always possible but I think it is probably the most powerful teaching tool in our arsenal.  All the attendees now the opportunity to get glass on our own and join the explorer program. I am hopeful to get a pair, and see how they can transform learning.

I will be very interested to see glass work in the hands of students. Documenting labs, engineering projects and any activity will can on new a meaning. In the hands of a novice teacher (or seasoned) Glass can provide valuable evidence for a reflective practice. And most definitely, I will be recruiting anyone who is going abroad or on site to do a Hangout* with my classes through Glass.
We are so jealous of Sabrina right now!!
*We were told the Hangout app for Glass is not currently working. 
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